


Just Promise Me We'll Be Alright

by lovesnarf (snarfette)



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Disaster, Hurt, Injury, M/M, Wedding Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-25 11:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15639537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarfette/pseuds/lovesnarf
Summary: They’d done it. Properly, or officially, or whatever: they’d done it. They’d had the full-on ceremony with the vows and the commitment and the formal stuff, and they’d stood up in front of everyone this time and got married.But when did anything ever go to plan for them?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've started this because I just can't see the Robron wedding going to plan. I can just see some terrible disaster ruining the day, but in this little fic at least they actually manage to get married first!
> 
> And of course it's angsty - it's me writing it!

They’d done it. Properly, or officially, or whatever: they’d done it. They’d had the full-on ceremony with the vows and the commitment and the formal stuff, and they’d stood up in front of everyone this time and got married.

It had been a perfect day. Everything had been just as they’d wanted; even the weather had been kind to them and the sun had shone all day with the lightest breeze so they didn’t get too uncomfortable in their suits and waistcoats. Liv and Vic had delivered the most touching best ‘people’ speeches, talking about family and how much love there was shared between them and how they’d never known two people who were more meant to be, and then of course, they’d fondly taken the piss out of the pair of them and everyone gathered had laughed along at the frighteningly accurate jokes.   

And it continued into a perfect evening. Robert had insisted on them using the barn for the evening reception and while everyone else seemed a bit perplexed about the unusual setting, Robert and Aaron had shared many sly smiles, and fleeting touches, and whispered memories about the venue. The place had been trimmed up beautifully and seemed far removed from the place that they’d used as a rendezvous point to meet up to have a shag when they’d been having an affair all those years ago. But it was still that place and it was still important in their shared history. They’d got engaged at the lay-by, so celebrating their wedding at the barn was logical (or so Robert had explained).

Aaron leant back against a bale of hay with his pint in his hand. He looked over the guests and smiled to himself: Zak was wandering around (completely drunk) clutching the infamous Dingle welly and shouting about Robert needing to have a drink; his mum and Paddy were dancing ridiculously; Liv was standing chattering away with Gabby near the open barn door.

It didn’t take long for his eyes to land on Robert. His husband was looking back at him from the other side of the barn. He’d just waved Diane off as she’d taken Seb back to the village to get him to bed and he’d turned and looked straight at Aaron. They both smiled softly and started walking towards one another.

They met in the centre of the floor.

“Alright, Mr Dingle,” Aaron said with a grin.

“I’m very alright, Mr Sugden,” Robert replied. He reached out to grab Aaron around the waist and pull him closer.

“How drunk are you?” Aaron laughed.

“Not so drunk that I can’t show you a good time later,” Robert said against his ear.

Aaron laughed again: he felt like he just wanted to laugh all the time from the feeling of pure happiness that was bubbling inside him. He leant back slightly. His husband was an idiot: _his_ idiot and he loved him so much. “You’re an idiot,” he told Robert as he reached up and placed a hand at the side of Robert’s neck, stroking just below his ear with his thumb.

“Too late for that sort of talk now,” Robert said brightly: he looked like he wanted to burst from his giddiness too. “You’ve married me now. It’s official. You’re stuck with me.” Robert pulled him closer again and started swaying slightly from side to side.

“No,” Aaron insisted, “we’re not dancing.” Although he had noticed that their guests had conveniently stepped away to the edges of the barn to give them room in the centre.

“Not even if they play our song,” Robert chuckled against his ear.

Aaron was about to reply about how Robert knew full well the consequences of insisting that they had a song, when a terrible screeching sound split the air, louder than the music and the chatter inside the barn. Everyone fell quiet and looked around in confusion, waiting for something. There was a grinding and then a huge bang and then, for a moment, silence. The wall of the barn seemed to crumble suddenly in a huge blast of dust, an almost thunderous rumbling seemed to come from all around them and then Aaron looked up just in time to see the sky as the roof began to break up and tumble down into the barn.

There were screams of horror and shock.

Quickly, Aaron glanced back at Robert, who had been looking up too, but before he could move or say anything, Robert’s face twisted in panic and he pushed Aaron with all of his strength so that he went stumbling backwards, landing with a heavy thud on the hard ground. He had just enough time to look in Robert’s direction before the sheets of corrugated metal that had once formed the roof fell between them with a deafening crash and he couldn’t see Robert anymore. His eyes widened and he yelled his husband’s name. He didn’t know whether Robert had been standing where the roof had fallen, or if he had moved in time. His heart was pounding and he started to frantically call out again, only to have his cries cut off as more debris fell. He covered his head with his hands and then everything went black.

***

Aaron blinked awake slowly. His head hurt. When he managed to open his eyes, they felt sore and gritty and he couldn’t quite work out what he was looking at. He could see the stars above him in a beautifully clear night sky, but they were surrounded by a jagged metal frame. He blinked and then he remembered.

“Rob?” he tried to call, but his throat was so dry, the air so thick with dust, that it was hard to breathe let alone shout.

He lay still and tried to swallow to clear his throat. He wanted to push himself up but he knew he was stuck. Looking down his own body, he could see something large and dark lying on his left leg and he knew he wouldn’t be able to move it on his own.

He coughed weakly. “Robert?” he called out and actually managed to hear himself that time.

He strained his ears for any response, or any sign of anybody being in the destroyed barn, and then had a moment of panic as he wondered how many other people were trapped or injured. Where was Liv? What about his mum and Paddy? He had to get out. He had to get help. His hands began scrabbling about at the ground trying to move or just do something, anything to get out, but it was useless.

“Can anybody hear me?” he called out gruffly. “Is there anyone there?”

“Aaron!”

The sound of Robert’s voice immediately calmed him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, thanking anybody who was listening for the fact that Robert was okay. Or at least he hoped he was.

“Rob? Are you alright?” Aaron shouted desperately. He couldn’t see him, but being able to hear his voice was good enough for now.

“Yeah,” Robert replied, and then coughed, “I think so. Are you? Are you hurt?”

“I’m stuck,” Aaron told him. “There’s something on my leg. Can you see anybody else?”

“No,” Robert answered. “I’m going to try to get to you. I think I can climb over.”

“Aaron! Robert!” Cain’s voice interrupted them.

“Cain!” they both yelled back.

“Are you boys alright?” Cain called.

“Just a bit banged up,” Aaron shouted. “I’m stuck. Is everyone else alright?”

“Yeah, everyone’s fine - they all got out - just a few cuts and bruises and shaken up. Help’s on the way.”

“Cain, can you see Aaron?” Robert called out.

Aaron would’ve rolled his eyes at Robert being so concerned about him, when he was trapped in a collapsed barn himself, but he knew that that was just how Robert was.

“Can’t see either of you,” Cain shouted back. “It’s a right mess in there. Just sit tight - we’ll get you out.”

They could hear muffled shouts coming from outside and it sounded a lot like Cain rounding people up, trying to get the guests organised and maybe create some sort of rescue party.

“Aaron?” Robert called out. “Are you alright?”

Aaron sighed. “Yeah, I’m alright. You?”

“Yeah,” Robert replied. “Not quite how I imagined us spending our wedding night.”

Aaron huffed out a laugh, but that made him start coughing and he couldn’t catch his breath because of the dust. He could hear Robert calling to him, hear the worry and panic in his voice, but he couldn’t reply.

“Aaron? _Aaron_!” Robert kept repeating his name. “I’m coming.”

Aaron wanted to tell Robert not to: it wasn’t safe; he needed to stay put; he didn’t know if he’d cause a further collapse by moving. But then there was a clanging and the sound of something scraping and shuffling and something that sounded a lot like swearing, and then Aaron jumped slightly as he heard Robert gasp and drop to his knees beside him.

Robert immediately reached out to touch him carefully. He stroked Aaron’s face and his eyes roamed over his body for injuries.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Aaron told him as he looked up at Robert’s worried face. “It’s just my leg.”

Robert’s eyes finally settled on his face and smiled weakly. Aaron reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing tight.

“Jinx,” he murmured with a little smile.

Robert’s own smile twitched slightly. “Looks that way,” he replied.

Suddenly, there was a screeching sound and Robert’s eyes widened. He threw himself over Aaron’s body just as more parts of the structure toppled down around them, crashing to the ground and throwing up more dust. Neither of them moved nor spoke for what felt like a long time, until everything had gone quiet again, and finally Robert backed away from his position.

“You alright?” he asked as he looked down at Aaron.

Aaron nodded: he was beginning to actually feel scared. How long could they stay where they were if the building was collapsing around them?

Robert seemed to have read his mind. “I don’t think we can stay here and wait to be rescued.”   

“No,” Aaron agreed. He drew in a sharp breath. “You should go.”

“What?” Robert asked in shock.

“You should get out of here and wait outside, where it’s safer. This whole place is going to come down before long.”

Robert just shook his head. “And you called me an idiot,” he said. “Do you really think I’m going to leave you in here? We’ve been through this before, Aaron. I’m not leaving you.”

“Rob…” Aaron trailed off as Robert shuffled down his body and began attempting to lift whatever it was that had trapped Aaron’s leg. He grunted against the weight and looked back at Aaron.

“When I lift this, you’re going to have to shuffle back and pull your leg free. Okay?”

Aaron nodded and then Robert mirrored his response. He heaved and Aaron felt the pressure on his leg ease enough for him to move backwards in the cramped space and get himself free. Robert dropped the large piece of a wooden beam he was holding and immediately went to him.

“My husband, the hero,” Aaron said before Robert stroked his face and pressed a quick, gentle kiss to his lips.

“I want that printing on a mug,” Robert said with a smile. “Come on, now we’ve just got to get out of here.” He wrapped his arm around Aaron and helped him stand before he hooked his arm around Aaron’s back and helped support him because he found that he couldn’t put any weight on his injured leg. “There’s a gap where I climbed through before, but I don’t think you’ll be able to with your leg.” He scanned the mess inside the barn, but it was hard to make much out in the darkness.

“What about the door at the back?” Aaron pointed over his shoulder. They’d had to use it when they were meeting in secret so were familiar with all the tricks to help them sneak about.

Robert nodded and slowly they clambered over the debris inside the barn. There were massive sharp pieces of metal from the roof scattered all over the ground, along with wooden beams and bales of hay that had collapsed from their stacks. Aaron hobbled along as best as he could but it was slow progress.

“Rob, are you alright?” he asked because even in the dim light he could tell that Robert looked pale. And his breathing sounded a bit hoarse, like he was struggling to pull in a deep breath.

“Just the dust has got in my throat,” Robert replied. “Nearly there now.”

And they were. They could see the outline of the door and when they finally reached it, they both blew out a breath in relief that it was unlocked. Robert pushed it open and they carefully made their way outside.

They could hear shouts and voices, see lights and movement just a little further away from them and Aaron yelled out in the direction. Robert helped Aaron lower himself onto the grass and then he stood up looking a little unsteady on his feet.

“Robert…” Aaron started, sure that there was something wrong.

“Oh, thank God, you’re both alright!” Chas came hurtling towards them, followed by what looked like most of the wedding party.

“Are you hurt? How did you get out?” Vic asked as she looked between them in shock.

“Robert,” Aaron said as he looked towards his husband again. He tried to bat his mum’s hands away as she tried to check him over. He just wanted to make sure that Robert was alright.

Robert was standing a few paces away from him: he turned at the sound of his name and smiled oddly at Aaron.

“You saved the day, Rob - again,” Vic said brightly.

It seemed that Robert only had eyes for Aaron because he just looked at him for a long moment. Before anyone could say or do anything else, the smile faded from his lips and he collapsed to the ground.     


	2. Chapter 2

Husband.

He’d said the word so many times: from the moment the paramedics had come rushing over to them outside the barn to when they’d arrived at the hospital, and he’d had to repeat it over and over again to various doctors and nurses as they asked him about Robert.

And now, as he was sitting on a plastic chair in a hospital corridor, with his leg in a plaster cast and a pair of shorts that someone had handed him, still wearing his charcoal waistcoat and suit jacket despite it being torn and covered in dust and the fact that it looked ridiculous paired with the lower half of his outfit, he held onto the word like a lifeline. Like a tether connecting him to Robert even though his husband had been rushed off to surgery, away from Aaron, away from where he could keep an eye on him and hold his hand and whisper to him that he’d be alright.

Because Robert was his husband. They’d finally made it official only for this to happen. He couldn’t lose him: not now, not like this.

And he needed Robert to be alright so he could have a go at him about being so stupidly headstrong and brave when he woke up. Strangely, he kept thinking about that. He kept imagining the moment when he yelled at Robert for being an idiot and not saying anything about his own injuries as he’d rescued Aaron. He kept picturing Robert’s face as he spluttered and tried to defend himself against Aaron’s annoyance and then he could see them holding onto one another, relief coursing through them both, and laughing at how they were jinxed but they’d both made it again hadn’t they, so maybe things weren’t so bad. He kept seeing it. He desperately wanted to have the chance to have that moment.

***

When Robert had collapsed, Aaron had yelled his name and crawled over to him, despite the shouts and objections from the others gathered, because his leg was fucked up, but that hadn’t been enough to keep him from getting to his husband.

He’d shaken him desperately as people around him called for help and rushed about in a blur at the edges of his vision.

It was Paddy who’d knelt beside Aaron and moved Robert’s suit jacket to the side to start trying to check him over. Robert’s beautiful, grey suit, that had made him look even more handsome, was completely ruined and it just hurt Aaron to look at him and see their perfect day in tatters around them. He wanted to squeeze his eyes closed and go back to the start of the day when everything had been full of hope and light. And then he’d looked back at Robert’s face, desperate to see him awake and wondering what all the fuss was about and probably complaining about how his suit was a mess and Paddy of all people seemed to be trying to undress him, and he’d seen the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth, down his face. Aaron had felt his heart stutter for a moment and his head fill with a harsh buzzing at the sight.

And then there had been paramedics and Aaron had been unable to tear his eyes away from Robert as they worked on him and he just heard himself telling them that Robert was his husband. He wasn’t sure if he’d said it several times in his panic and desperation. He had a vague memory of it and his mum trying to calm him: that everything was going to be okay and that Robert was in good hands.

But Robert wasn’t in his hands, was he? They should have been drinking and joking and celebrating and maybe, just maybe, he’d have given in and let Robert have his dance. But that was all ruined: all of those moments had been snatched away from them. Instead of having Robert in his arms, instead of taking Robert off to bed that night to celebrate their first night as ‘official’ husbands, they had blood and pain and tears, and the terrifying possibility that Robert might not be okay.

***

“Robert Sugden?”

The voice interrupted Aaron’s agonising thoughts and his head snapped up to look at the doctor standing just down the corridor. He struggled to his feet, arranging his crutches clumsily and hardly registering his mum beside him trying to help him up.

“Yes,” he said quickly. “Yes, he’s my husband.”

The doctor smiled sympathetically as she approached him. She gestured for Aaron to sit back down but he shook his head quickly. He just wanted to know.

“I’m Doctor Tyler,” she told him. “I’m the surgeon that’s been working on your husband.”

“And?” Aaron asked impatiently. “Is he okay? What’s happened to him? Is he going to be alright?”

The doctor nodded once. “During the building collapse, we believe something fell onto Robert, causing his spleen to rupture. We operated hoping to repair the internal damage, but we found that his spleen was too severely ruptured so we have had to remove it.”

“Shit,” Aaron breathed out. “Is he...is he going to be alright?”

“Robert should make a full recovery in time. He’ll need to be monitored closely following the surgery and the removal of his spleen will mean that he is more susceptible to infections.” The doctor trailed off as she looked at Aaron’s pale face. “But the main thing is that he should be fine. We can discuss everything else when Robert wakes up and you’re both feeling a little better. I’ll ask someone to come and let you know when he’s settled so you can go and see him.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Aaron heard his mum saying as he slowly, awkwardly, sank back down onto his chair.

He wanted to say ‘thank you’ too. He wanted to thank her for helping Robert, for saving him, but he couldn’t speak. All he could do was think about the fact that Robert was going to be okay and they’d narrowly avoided something catastrophic once again.

“He’s going to be alright, love,” his mum was saying in his ear and then he realised that he’d leant forward and was dragging in deep breaths as his mum rubbed his back. Slowly, he felt his heart rate settle back into a more normal rhythm, his breathing becoming a little easier, and he could think more clearly.

“How did he do it?” he asked quietly after a while of the two of them sitting in silence.

“How did he do what?” Chas asked in confusion.

“If he was hurt like that, how did he manage to get me out? He must’ve been in a lot of pain.”

Chas smiled softly him at. “You know Robert, love. He’d walk over hot coals for ya.” She stroked the side of his head. “And he probably didn’t even realise how badly hurt he was - probably just thought he’d had a knock and was going to have a hell of a bruise. People do amazing things when the ones they love are in danger.”

Aaron nodded and tried for a smile. “Don’t say that to him,” he said around a wet little laugh. “He’ll think he’s some sort of superhero or summat.”

Chas smiled fondly at him. “Don’t want it going to his head now, do we?”

Aaron huffed out a breath and scrubbed at the tears that had formed in his eyes.

They were going to be alright.

***

As soon as he was able, Aaron had hobbled his way down the corridor to Robert’s room and settled himself down in a chair beside his bed. His mum had followed him to make sure he was alright and then left him to it to make some phone calls and let everyone know what was going on.

And Aaron had waited silently by Robert’s bedside. There wasn’t anything he could do, but he wasn’t willing to leave Robert alone again. He didn’t say anything - he was going to save that for when Robert could speak back to him. He just stroked Robert’s arm, ran his fingers along the length of it until he could lay his hand over the top of Robert’s, and then he waited.

It wasn’t exactly how he’d imagined spending the hours after their wedding, but at least they were together.

It took quite a while for the anaesthetic to wear off enough for Robert to begin to stir awake. His face scrunched up like it always did when he started to wake up and Aaron thought about how it could’ve been any other morning with them waking up together if it weren’t for the bright hospital lights and the hustle and bustle around them and the fact that Robert was pale and wearing a horrible hospital gown and surrounded by machines.

When Robert blinked blearily at him and frowned in apparent confusion, Aaron squeezed his hand a little.

“Hey,” he murmured.

“Aaron,” Robert said quietly, but it wasn’t clear whether he was intending to say anything else or if he’d just ran out of energy for talking.

“You gave me a right scare,” Aaron told him gently as he rubbed his hand up Robert’s arm.

“Wha’?” Robert asked and he looked so adorably confused and sleepy that Aaron just shook his head slightly.

“Don’t worry about it now,” he said. “Get some sleep and we’ll talk when you’re feeling a bit better.”

Robert frowned again, still looking out of it and muddled by Aaron’s words. But one thing was clearly on his mind. “Stay,” he said simply.

Aaron felt his eyes stinging as he fought back tears: he had no idea why Robert’s simple request had made his emotions bubble to the surface again. “Of course,” he told his husband. “I’ll be here. Don’t worry.”

***

Hours later, after many of their friends and family had visited and hovered and looked in on the two of them, Robert woke up again. It was a similarly slow process, with Robert blinking awake gradually and looking at Aaron as soon as he could focus. He looked a little more coherent and Aaron was grateful for that. He wanted to be able to actually talk to his husband and make sure he was alright, and find out whether he even remembered what had happened.

“Aaron?” Robert said after a few more blinks at him.

“How are you feeling?” Aaron asked him.

Trying to sit up a little straighter, Robert winced and seemed to give up on the idea. “A bit...sore. And...confused.”

“What do you remember?” Aaron asked, almost unsure whether he wanted Robert to remember what had happened to spoil their wedding day.

“The barn...” Robert started. “We’d got married and then...we were in the barn...” He trailed off and his eyes widened. “Are you alright? You were trapped. Your leg.”

“I’m okay,” Aaron reassured him immediately, stroking his arm. “I was stuck but you got me out, remember? My knee’s pretty messed up, but I’ll be fine.”

“What about everyone else? Liv? And Vic?”

“Everyone’s okay. Just a few scrapes and bruises, but they’re all fine. It’s you that I’m worried about.”

Robert squinted slightly. “Why? What happened? Why am I here?”

“Because you needed an operation. You had a ruptured spleen so it had to be removed.”

“Oh,” Robert said simply in response.

“Oh?” Aaron echoed. “You had internal injuries and had to have a major operation and that’s your response.” 

Robert sighed heavily and seemed to slump a little further against his pillow. “I’m just...a bit overwhelmed...and tired.” He paused for a moment and then looked at Aaron sharply. “We did get married before all of this happened, didn’t we? I didn’t imagine that.”

Aaron smiled softly. “Yes, we definitely made it official before everything kicked off.”

“So you really are stuck with me then?” Robert said with a small smile.

Aaron placed his hand over the top of his again and spoke quietly. “Definitely stuck with each other.”

“Good,” Robert breathed out. He seemed quite content despite having been seriously injured and needing an operation. It was probably just the side-effects of the anaesthetic: Aaron had a feeling that when Robert fully realised what had happened on their wedding day, he might be less calm.

“You know when you’re feeling better and the anaesthetic has worn off, we’re going to have our first official fight as official husbands,” Aaron told him, still using that quiet voice.

“What?” Robert blinked at him in confusion.

“About you being an idiot and dragging me out of there when you had serious internal injuries.”

“Oh,” Robert replied. “Can’t wait.” He squeezed Aaron’s fingers weakly and smiled softly at him. “Husband.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm snarfettelove on tumblr.
> 
> Feedback is lovely and much appreciated.


End file.
